Six StreetLeaders participated in the College Vision trip over spring break this year, visiting colleges and universities in Washington, DC, Virginia, North Carolina, and Georgia. It was a great time for the teens to learn about what different schools have to offer as well as to motivate them to continue to do well in high school.
We also spent some time at significant civil rights sites such as the Slave Trail in Richmond, the International Civil Rights Center and Museum in Greensboro, NC and the Martin Luther King National Historic Site in Atlanta. Having the chance to reflect on what prior generations have endured and fought for while exploring one’s visions and hopes for the future prove to be a powerful combination for many of the StreetLeaders who have taken this trip over the years. We are so thankful to the many people gave generously to make this trip possible!
Keep reading to see the impact on the students in their own words:
The tour opened up my eyes to college. I always said that I would never go to college but now I feel like I want to bring up my grades and go. I enjoyed the college lifestyle that I heard about during the trip. JaQuan
Visiting Atlanta was my favorite part of the trip. Atlanta has lots of colleges I would like to attend. The colleges seem to have high standards and seemed really good at promoting independence. Malachi
I enjoyed singing songs in the van and playing games. I enjoyed bonding with my school mates and StreetLeaders. Raini
Augusta State was my favorite college. ASU is very affordable and really encouraged independence. I think ASU will prepare me for the real world after college while I get my degree. Marcus
I was surprised that you can be in small classes while in college and get lots of teacher attention. JaQuan
At the Greensboro photo gallery I saw how people died, went to jail and suffered many heart breaking defeats so that we could have the same opportunities as white people, which really made me think. Raini
The civil rights sites put me in the shoes of those who fought for my rights. It made me feel really grateful. Malachi
Going on the tour is more powerful than you would think. It puts you on the path for college life, connects you with a new perspective on civil rights and helps you see what is possible for African Americans outside of our neighborhood. College life seems really fun, but I know it’s still a business. And I need to do well in school. Malachi
The college tour helps you know about college and the smaller movements during the civil rights movement. It was good to hear about the importance of grades for getting great scholarships and maybe attending college for free. Marcus
It’s great to get away from your environment and learn new things, especially about college. Alesha